


Headliners

by DrewWrites



Series: DCTV One Shots [2]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 03:46:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19220914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrewWrites/pseuds/DrewWrites
Summary: Or five times that Team Flash ends up on the front page of Central City Weekly





	Headliners

**Author's Note:**

> I think I might be captain of this ship. Welp.
> 
> Btw this was inspired by discussions in the Flarrowverse Shipyard Discard

ONE

It starts when Cisco dons his costume for the first time and helps Barry with his first meta human.

It goes well. 

In fact, it goes almost perfectly. There’s a crowd of people around them clapping and cheering and taking pictures.

Cisco turns to Barry, and Barry is looking at him with one of those smiles of his that could raise the sun. Cisco barely represses the urge to tug his boyfriend towards him and kiss stupid him in front of everyone. 

He settles for an innocent hug instead.

But Cisco’s expression is filled with as much love as Barry’s when they pull back a few inches, so it really shouldn’t be a surprise when Cisco sees the magazine on his way to STAR Labs the next morning. 

He’s walking past a newsstand with his coffee in hand, when a picture with two very familiar figures catches his attention. It’s one of those trashy gossip magazines, _Central City Weekly,_ and Cisco really shouldn’t be worried about it. And yet.

His eyes widen and he immediately goes into damage control mode.

He snatches as many as he can afford from the stand, planning to come back to get the rest after he explains the situation to Barry, and breaches the rest of the way to work.

Barry is already sitting at the computer in the cortex when Cisco throws down the magazines. Barry looks up at him quizzically, and Cisco gestures for Barry to read it, fingers tapping and fidgeting restlessly.

_The Flash and Vibe - More Than a Crime Fighting Duo?_

Barry raises an eyebrow at Cisco.

“It’s not like they’re wrong,” Barry says. Cisco huffs and wheels a chair over to the desk, sitting down next to Barry.

“You’re not bothered by this?” He asks. He tries his best to keep the fear and confusion out of his voice.

“I don’t mind,” Barry pauses and searches Cisco’s face, “Unless you mind? We can be more careful next time.”

Cisco shrugs and looks down at his hands, picking at his shirt sleeves.

“I don’t know. I’m not ashamed of it or anything. It’s just…” Cisco trails off, and Barry reaches out his hands to cover Cisco’s, and Cisco’s gaze moves back to Barry’s face, who gives him a patient smile. Cisco takes a deep breath.

“I really enjoy what we have. It’s perfect right now, how it is,” Cisco says. Barry brings a hand up to Cisco’s face.

“Nothing is going to change how I feel about you Cisco, or how I treat you. Even if we have paparazzi breathing down our necks,” Barry reassures, brushing a thumb across Cisco’s cheek.

Cisco’s eyes flutter shut, and he gives Barry a wide smile.

“Okay,” he whispers.

The front page ends up folded up and tucked inside Barry’s wallet, much to Cisco’s dismay.

* * *

TWO

The next time they make the front page of _Central City Weekly_ , it’s because Barry had done something particularly badass, and Cisco just couldn’t help himself.

This time, the picture is blurry and clearly taken from quite a distance.

Cisco grabs a copy and frames it before anyone else arrives at STAR Labs.

“That picture is atrocious,” Barry says as soon as he walks in. Cisco laughs and finishes adjusting it on the wall.

“Personally, I think that they captured my good side perfectly,” Cisco shoots back. Barry wraps his arms around Cisco’s waist and examines the headline, head resting on Cisco’s shoulder.

_FlashVibe Caught in a Passionate Kiss!_

“They’re all your good side,” he says. Cisco rolls his eyes and turns around in Barry’s arms.

“Sap.”

“Says the one who framed a blurry picture of us.”

Cisco giggles into Barry’s chest as Barry presses a kiss on his head. Cisco squirms around again and reads the headline one more time.

“I don’t like the name very much. Not very creative.”

* * *

THREE

After Cisco and Barry move in together, after Ralph joins the team, after Ralph becomes a hero, after Barry and Cisco discuss adding someone else to their relationship, and after their conversation with Ralph is interrupted, another headline appears.

This time, Ralph gets hit pretty hard by the meta-of-the-week, and Cisco doesn’t hesitate to run to his aid while Barry makes quick work of wrapping up the fight. Cisco holds Ralph’s head in his lap, desperately trying to get him to stay awake.

The next few hours is a blur of emotions as Barry and Cisco never leave Ralph’s side, only letting go of him long enough for Caitlin to patch him up.

When he finally wakes up, Iris comes storming into the med bay, the latest edition of _Central City Weekly_ in hand.

She slams it down in front of Cisco and gives him the signature West glare, the one that has made criminals and best friends alike cower in fear.

“You have 30 seconds to explain or so help me _god_ Ramon I will punch you so hard you forget who how to walk.”

Cisco, Ralph, and Barry peer down at the magazine with trepidation.

_Trouble in Paradise? Vibe Caught CHEATING on The Flash with New Hero!_

A picture of Cisco kissing an unconscious Ralph on the forehead is plastered across the front page.

Barry bursts into laughter, Ralph turns his shocked expression to Cisco, who is blushing down to his hairline.

Barry looks over at the two, which only makes him laugh harder. His gaze shifts over to a still angry Iris, who is now a little confused. Barry laughs _even harder_ , but he still tries to get a sentence out between breaths.

“It’s okay we’re-” he sucks in a breath, barely containing himself, “we’re all three,” he breaks down into laughter again. Iris’ face turns pink and she holds up a hand.

“I don’t need to know anything else, sorry I asked.” She shoots a warning look to Ralph and Cisco before walking out of the medbay and back into the cortex.

Barry hides his face in Ralph’s neck as he calms down, and Ralph gives him and Cisco a happy smile.

“Well, that didn’t stay a secret very long,” he says. Cisco giggles a little hysterically, fear from being on the other end of Iris’ wrath still wearing off.

“Did you want it to?” Barry asks, finally free of his laugh attack. Ralph shakes his head and takes both of their hands.

“Never,” Ralph whispers. Cisco’s heart skips a beat and he leans in to give Ralph a proper kiss on the lips.

This headline ends up framed, wrapped, and given to Iris on her birthday.

* * *

FOUR

Barry takes a hit and goes down hard. 

It happens a lot, but something about this time, something about the way Barry falls like a ton of bricks, sets something heavy in Ralph’s chest.

After Ralph takes care of the meta, and whatever spell he has on Barry wears off, Ralph yanks him into a kiss by his waist. Barry melts into and grips him back, both of them too distracted to notice or care about the camera shutter going off.

Cisco arrives shortly after to help bring the meta back to STAR Labs, and to see that Barry’s okay for himself.

The next morning, Ralph comes waltzing into the cortex with a barely contained grin and a magazine.

“For real? What did we do this time?” Barry asks upon seeing the all-too-familiar color scheme of _Central City Weekly_. The whole team, including Cisco, turn to Ralph as he dramatically reveals the latest headline. Cisco lets out a delighted laugh, and the rest of the team sigh or roll their eyes, turning back to whatever they were doing before hand.

Barry frowns.

_The Elongated Man - HOMEWRECKER?_

“Why are they so mean to you?” Barry whines. Cisco walks over to Barry and pats him on the shoulder.

“They don’t understand us, babe,” he says. He turns to his other boyfriend, and moves to grab the magazine out of his hands, but Ralph holds it above his head.

“Nope. I call dibs on framing this one. It’s going in my office,” Ralph says.

“I’m clearly enjoying the kiss, I don’t see why they think you’re coming between us,” Barry grumbles. Ralph gives him a delighted grin.

“Why _Barry,_ that’s _exactly_ what happened last night, or do you not remember?” Ralph says, much louder than necessary. Cisco immediately drops his face into his hands.

Iris yelps and covers her ears, and Joe gives the trio the most displeased look Barry has ever seen on him. Caitlin is trying to hide the fact that she’s giggling.

“Get out of here. Now,” Harry growls. Barry shoots out of his chair and grabs his boyfriends by the arms, rushing out of the Cortex. Cisco squeaks in protest, and Ralph can barely contain his laughter.

The next time Barry walks into Ralph’s office, he barely suppresses a frown at the framed picture displayed proudly in the middle of his desk. Ralph laughs at him, but puts it face down anyway.

* * *

FIVE

The fifth time they end up on the front page, the world almost ends.

Barry almost sacrifices himself.

Cisco almost dies trying to stop him.

Ralph almost has a breakdown while trying to focus on his boyfriends and the enemy at the same time.

They wrap themselves around each other before Cisco breaches them back to STAR Labs, and they only let go of each other long enough to get their wounds patched up and make sure each other are all in one piece.

They eventually make their way home, where they curl impossibly close and talk in hushed tones to reassure each other as much themselves that they’re alive and okay and breathing.

Every few moments, they move to exchange chaste kisses.

In the morning, Caitlin is waiting for them in the Cortex. Entirely unamused to the untrained eye, but the trio can tell that she’s holding back a smile. 

She holds up a copy of _Central City Weekly_ that features the three heroes hugging in the middle of the aftermath of the battle. It would be a sweet picture, if not for the big, bold, and bright words slapped across it.

_SUPERHERO ORGY?_

Cisco smiles and slips out from the middle of Ralph and Barry to examine it closer. He glances at the other two, both of them wearing fond smiles. Cisco rolls his eyes and turns back to Caitlin.

“This is replacing the blurry picture of me and Barry immediately,” he declares. Caitlin gives him an amused smile and starts towards her lab.

“You kids behave,” she says as she shuts the door behind her. Barry watches from the entrance of the Cortex as Ralph helps Cisco change out the pictures. Ralph insists on keeping the old one for his wallet, and Cisco accuses him of spending too much time with Barry. 

The two continue to bicker back and forth, and Barry walks forward, gently plucks the framed picture from their hands, and sets it aside. Ralph and Cisco fall silent when he grabs their hands. 

Barry kisses Cisco, then Ralph, and leans back.

“What was that for?” Ralph murmurs. Cisco blinks owlishly.

“I love you,” Barry says, giving their hands a quick squeeze. Cisco grins and shuffles closer to Barry, pulling Ralph in with him. 

Barry’s hands let go of theirs, and his arms wrap around their shoulders. They’re silent for a few moments, simply enjoying each other’s warmth.

Finally, Barry breaks the silence.

“It’s going above our bed.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know how I did :)
> 
> Tumblr is andrew-writes-things


End file.
